Latest Wisconsin addition spells trouble for Penn State in finale

AP PhotoRussell Wilson announced his intentions to transfer to Wisconsin on Monday.

One of the Big Ten’s top quarterback quandaries has finally been resolved … at Wisconsin.

On Monday, former North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson decided to transfer to Wisconsin for his senior season, picking the Badgers over reigning BCS national champion Auburn, which was looking for a replacement for Heisman winner Cam Newton.

Wilson won’t have to sit out a year because of an NCAA rule that allows graduate students to transfer to another school without sitting out a year as long as the player enrolls in a graduate program that his former school does not offer.

It’s a rule that has its supporters and its critics, but it will likely have Penn State on its critical side for at least the 2011 season. That’s because the Nittany Lions’ season finale on the road at Wisconsin just got a heck of a lot tougher.

Considered by many as the favorite in the Big Ten Leaders Division with the turmoil at Ohio State, the only thing holding the Badgers back from being the favorite to win the first conference championship game and possibly becoming a BCS title contender was the uncertainty at quarterback. Jon Budmayr appeared to be the frontrunner for the Badgers’ starting quarterback gig, but the redshirt sophomore has thrown only 10 career passes and struggled in the Badgers’ spring game.

Wilson hasn’t been guaranteed the starting job, but it’s hard to imagine any scenario where Wilson, a three-year starter at NC State, won’t be under center for the season opener against UNLV on Sept. 1.

The numbers Wilson accumulated at NC State won’t transfer to Wisconsin, but if they had he would already be the Badgers’ most prolific passer in school history. Wilson’s 8,545 career passing yards and 76 career passing touchdowns would already be school records despite Wilson still having another year of eligibility.

Wilson won’t be asked to throw the ball as much in Madison as he was in Raleigh, where he threw 1,180 passes, which would also be a Wisconsin record. Wilson will have the luxury of handing the ball off 35 (maybe 40 or more) times a game to the Big Ten’s – possibly the country’s – best group of running backs. Sophomore James White, the team’s leading rusher last year, and junior Montee Ball, who led the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns last year, will limit the load on Wilson’s shoulders, which were forced to carry the entire Wolfpack offense the last three seasons.

And although Wilson isn’t a burner, he’s a threat when he pulls the ball down and takes off scrambling, rushing for 1,089 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career.

Penn State didn’t exactly sparkle against quarterbacks who also possessed the ability to tuck it down and run, either.

As mentioned back in the breakdown of the November schedule, the finale at Wisconsin could be a game the Lions need to win just to get bowl eligible, and now it will have to come against a team that is a legitimate national championship contender and arguably the Big Ten’s best team.

Related Stories

Featured Story

Get 'Today's Front Page' in your inbox

This newsletter is sent every morning at 6 a.m. and includes the morning's top stories, a full list of obituaries, links to comics and puzzles and the most recent news, sports and entertainment headlines.

optionalCheck here if you do not want to receive additional email offers and information.See our privacy policy

Thank you for signing up for 'Today's Front Page'

To view and subscribe to any of our other newsletters, please click here.